Translation of the Chofetz Chaim's Sefer Shmiras HaLashon. This site is dedicated to the improvement of the speech of members of Bnei Yisrael. To help avoid all sorts of troubles, learn Shmiras HaLashon - "One who guards his mouth and his tongue guards from troubles of his soul." (Mishlei: 21; 23)

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Included in the category of those who support Torah scholars [and receive the ensuing reward], is [the person] who gives his daughter over in marriage [to a Torah scholar], as our Sages of Blessed Memory have said [in maseches “Kisuvos” (111b)], that the pasuk considers him as if he clings to HaShem’s Divine Presence. Similarly, [we are taught] in [maseches] “Pisachim” (49a), [as follows]: “A person should [be willing to sell] all that which is in his possession [in order to] marry off his daughter to a Torah scholar, for if he dies or is exiled, [Heaven Forbid], his sons will be Torah scholars.”[1]

In our times, due to our many sins, in certain places the ray of The Torah has fallen to the dirt, and those who learn The Torah, continuously become more greatly impoverished, and no one gathers them into the house in order to join with them [by giving their daughter to them in marriage and by supporting their study of The Torah]. At times, it is easier to find a fitting marriage partner for one of the men of the masses than to find [a marriage partner] for those who study The Torah. [The aforementioned] obstacle has grown [to such an extent], that due to this The Torah [begins to] vanish, Heaven Forbid, once [those involved in Torah study] see that no one supports them! It is also a great insult to The Torah when those who learn it are bereaved and alone, there is no one to gather them into the house, woe to such embarrassment, woe to such shame! [With] what shall we respond to The Holy One, Blessed is He, when we shall come to judgment for the insult of The Torah? [The aforementioned] resembles that which is [taught] in The “Zohar Chadash”, for such is what the pasuk stated [in sefer “Malachi”]: “Behold, the day in coming, burning as an oven…” (Malachi: 3; 19) This [refers to] the day in the future on which Moshe Rabbeinu, Alav HaShalom, will demand [on behalf of the] insult of The Torah. [Concerning the insult that The Torah suffers], the Gaon Rabbi Yihonoson, has already screamed like a rooster [about this problem], in his sefer “Ya’aros D’vash”.

[1] The gemara continues by teaching that the person should try to marry the daughter of a Torah scholar, as well. The gemara lists other types of people who are involved in good deeds or who teach Torah to children, with whom he should strive to marry one of their daughters if he is unable to marry a daughter of a Torah scholar. The gemara also advises the person to be careful to not marry the daughter of an am HaAretz (those people who are disconnected from The Torah and the performance of the mitzvos), for, among other things, if the person dies or is exiled, his children would likely be amei HaAretz as well.